Contacts

Whether judging science fairs, sorting food, building houses, or serving on community boards, Laboratory employees and retirees love to volunteer. Beginning in March, the Laboratory will once again gear up for its annual volunteer recognition for the 2015 calendar year. Each year, volunteers across the region submit their volunteer hours served at nonprofit organizations, and Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) recognizes their contributions by making monetary donations to the nonprofit on the volunteer’s behalf.

About 300 Laboratory retirees, participated in the volunteer program serving more than 64,000 volunteer hours in 2014. In 2015, 45 volunteers at the Los Alamos Retired & Senior Organization (LARSO), donated their time to the Betty Ehart Senior Center. “Over the years, the Laboratory’s volunteer program has benefited all of our senior program areas,” said Pauline Schneider, Executive Director of the Betty Ehart Senior Center. “Our county is incredibly supportive of volunteer activities, and sometimes the services we provide are in such high demand that this program really helps.

The volunteer program at the senior center helps provide transportation services for those who can no longer drive to medical appointments or shopping, and provides health and fitness activities, such as tap dance lessons.

“We strive to keep our seniors active and engaged, and that is a big part of the volunteer program. It keeps people plugged in to what’s going on,” said Schneider.

Volunteers also make a great impact by helping out at various STEM-related activities throughout the region, help build houses as part of Habitat for Humanity, and help maintain the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire, just to name a few examples.

In 2014, 200 nonprofits received $175,000 through the Los Alamos National Security, LLC. This contribution represented efforts of almost 1,000 volunteers who served 100 hours or more during the year. In total, more than 2,700 employees and retirees participate in the Laboratory’s volunteer program.

For more information about the Laboratory's volunteer program, contact Debbi Wersonick at 667-7870 orsonic@lanl.gov.

Community Connections features news and opportunities that grow out of the Laboratory’s Good Neighbor Pledge: “To partner with our neighbors on strengthening math and science learning, diversifying the economy and expanding community giving in northern New Mexico.”